Off We Go
by bugly42
Summary: Sequel to Astral Anne. Spoilers for Stargate S9 and 10 may occur. A year after meeting Daniel Jackson, Buffy begins college in Colorado Springs.
1. Teaser

A/N: This story continues from the AU established by my first story in this series, "Astral Anne," and as such, differs from events shown in Season 3 of Buffy. For the most part, the events follow canon, though some differences may be alluded to. Some characters will be seen to step outside their usual roles. Bear in mind that this is an AU, and those differences are intentional. Constructive criticism regarding these changes will be taken into account. Flaming and other derogatory responses will be ignored. If you do not like what I've done, don't just tell me that, tell me why.

This being said, the characters from the shows Stargate: SG-1 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to their respective owners, and I am not making a profit off of this. It is merely an exercise in imagination, and I hope to return them in good shape.

* * *

Teaser 

Joyce and Buffy Summers pulled their car up to the drop-off curb in front of Steamboat House, and both got out, preparing to unload the back of the car filled with clothing and other necessities of college life.

"Honey, are you sure about this?" Joyce said as she began transferring the contents of the car onto the curb as her daughter unloaded the trunk. "I mean, it's not to late to change your mind."

"We've been over this a hundred times, Mom. I have to be doing something to burn off energy, and since Giles doesn't think any of the sports would be a good option, this is pretty much all that's left. Besides, I won't be the only one, remember?" Buffy replied, pulling a pair of gym bags out of the trunk and placing them beside the curb. "You talked to that room-mate of mine who's a sophomore. Did she sound psycho or anything? And she knows the other ROTC student here. It's only two days a week, anyways."

Joyce sighed. "I know, I just worry about you," she said, stepping over to grab the straps of one of the gym bags.

"Careful, that's…" Buffy began, but was interrupted by a metallic clink as her mother dropped the bag back to the sidewalk. "…Heavy," she finished, lamely.

* * *

The dorm room was a lot better than she'd expected, Buffy thought, as she bounced a little on the bed, surveying the room that belonged to her and only her for the coming school-year. The bedroom was only slightly smaller than the room she had back home, and the suite also contained a bathroom, and she could lock the door to her room and keep anyone from coming in, if she needed to. A sitting area would have been nice, but she could always use one of the lounges if it was really necessary. 

Her mom had insisted on going out to buy a few things it turned out they'd missed, and returned with the items, as well as a wooden trunk she'd seen that Joyce thought would be perfect for storing weapons. Buffy was actually surprised by her mother's thoughtfulness, especially since she wasn't supposed to have the few items she'd brought for the occasional patrol. She'd just finished moving everything into the chest when they heard the door open to the entry, and Buffy glanced quickly around the room to make sure nothing she wasn't supposed to have was visible before getting up and going to see who it was.

The redhead who entered, followed by an older blonde both glanced over their boxes at Buffy, and smiled, acknowledging her presence. "Hi," the blonde said, putting her box down for a moment on the counter next to the sink, and gave a look around, assessing the suite for…something. "Samantha Carter," she said, offering her hand.

"Buffy Summers," Buffy replied, shaking the woman's hand carefully. It wouldn't do to be careless and break a few fingers by accident on her first day.

"The other cadet," the redhead said, shifting her box to her hip as she opened the door to the middle of the three bedrooms in the suite. "I remember telling you about her."

"I'm Cassie, by the way," she concluded, turning to Buffy.

"Nice to meet you," Buffy said, smiling uncomfortably. "I just finished unpacking, is there anything I can help with?"

Carter looked around, thoughtfully. "I think there's just one more load, and we're done. You girls think you can handle it? I need to get back to the base."

"Base?" Buffy asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Cheyenne Mountain," Carter elaborated. "Deep Space Radar Telemetry."

"Sounds…fascinating," Buffy replied dryly.

"Like you'd never believe," the older woman said, and started out the door and down the hall.

"Sam's a Lieutenant Colonel with the Force," Cassie said, as the two followed her. "She worked with my mom."

"In deep fried whatsit?"

"Deep Space Radar Telemetry, and yes."

"Weird."

"Like you'd never believe," Cassie replied, giggling.

End Teaser


	2. Act One

Act One 

Later that first night, room-mate number three still hadn't arrived, but a clean-cut freshman named Jack Neillson had joined them for pizza at a place near to campus. Cassie apparently knew him from high school, and although she had a year on him, he seemed to be able to boss her around.

"So, Summers, why did you choose the Air Force?" Jack asked. He seemed unable to say Buffy without snickering, so they settled on last names instead.

"I like working out and helping people. Saving the world doesn't hurt, either," Buffy answered.

"I doubt that's going to happen very often in the reserves," Jack replied, dryly. "Saving the world, I mean."

Cassie giggled a little, shaking her head.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing," Cassie said, innocently. "I hear the planetarium's going to have an open viewing on their big scope tomorrow night. You still enjoy astronomy, right, Jack?"

Jack shrugged. "I haven't bothered much with it," he said. "It seems too far away these days. I doubt I'll be visiting the stars any time soon."

"You sound just like your uncle," Cassie said. "He hasn't stopped complaining since he got promoted to general."

"General?" Jack asked. "Who had that crazy idea?"

"Guess."

"Oh, for crying out loud. He can't possibly be able to fill George's shoes."

Cassie shrugged. "Apparently he is, since he got transferred to Washington after a year," she replied. "Things just aren't the same without the barbecues."

Buffy tried not to sigh. Watching those two banter back and forth about things they didn't elaborate much on made her wonder if that was why Giles always complained about her friends' butchery of the English language.

"Problem, Summers?" Jack asked, noting her expression.

"I just feel like I'm on the outside with you two. There's so much you share that I don't even know where to start with asking. I mean, astronomy? I would have thought you'd be more interested in guns and planes or something."

"Oh, I like those, too," Jack said, grinning.

Settling in to classes seemed easier than Buffy had expected. She hated math, but that was a given, and she was enjoying psychology, a class Willow had talked her into over the phone. Cassie was willing to help with any of the areas Buffy had trouble with, and they ended up sharing meals with Jack most of the time.

The inseparability of the trio had caused some interesting rumors to spread, since no observer had quite figured out which of the two pretty girls Jack was chasing, or even if it was both. All three of them found the talk amusing, and had quickly come to an agreement to say as little as possible about the topic. Buffy still missed Xander, Willow, and even Faith, but Jack and Cassie kept her from being lonely, except that she had to hide her nocturnal wanderings.

Being one of the Chosen Two meant that she needed less sleep than an ordinary person, and even if there was less slaying to be done, she still had a drive to be actively doing something. Buffy couldn't wait until the conditioning classes began. But when Jack showed up the night before their first lecture to strategize, as he put it, something sounded fishy.

"Cassie said she's driving down," Buffy said, frowning. "I thought I'd get a ride with her."

"If you want, but I've got something better. I'm sure Cass won't mind dropping us off on the way," Jack said, a glint in his eye.

"On the way where?" Cassie asked, walking in with a couple books under one arm.

"Summers just told me you're driving to Boulder. I figured you could drop us off so I don't have to worry about finding a parking spot at the field," Jack replied.

"You're taking Dolly?" Cassie asked, incredulous.

"Yes, Cassandra, I'm going to introduce Summers to Dolly."

"Who's Dolly?" Buffy asked, annoyed.

"You'd have to see her to believe me," Jack answered, grinning. "She was a gift for my birthday."

"I don't even want to ask," Buffy groaned.

Buffy was still feeling confused by the whole thing when Cassie turned the SUV she was driving into the airport, and then bypassed the passenger unloading turnoff.

"You did file everything, right, Jack?" Cassie asked, an amused smile on her face only a few shades dimmer than the grin that was on his.

"I wouldn't want us held up, now, would I? All we have left is the ground check and we're off."

Buffy's frown deepened as they pulled in beside a small, dilapidated-looking building with a handful of spaces in front. "Why are we out here?" she said, as she followed their lead and got out of the vehicle.

"Just picking up some paperwork for the final check," Jack said, almost bouncing.

"I'm missing something, aren't I?" Buffy asked.

"Hey, he only let me go up with her once," Cassie said, shrugging. "And we've known each other as long as I've been in the States."

"Hey! I've flown with you more than that!" Jack retorted.

"Not with Dolly, you haven't. Just the once when you got her, because Sam was in Nevada with that research project," she said.

"Will one of you quit being coy and just tell me what's going on?" Buffy said, exasperated.

Jack and Cassie exchanged a look. "I think you're better off seeing for yourself," Cassie said, as Jack went into the office to get his paperwork, and Cassie started walking off towards a set of shapes about a hundred yards off.

As it turned out, Dolly was an airplane. It was very obviously named Dolly because the name was elegantly painted on the side of the plane just in front of the door, along with a rather odd-looking female form.

"Is that supposed to be…"

"A sheep," Cassie said, nodding. "Jack's uncle has a rather odd sense of humor. He named her."

"So going with Dolly means?"

"You get to fly to Boulder. Denver, actually, since the Boulder airfield isn't long enough for a jet and it costs a lot more to land there. But it still cuts the time in half compared to driving."

"Then why are you driving?"

"I'm not much for flying."

"But you're joining the Air Force."

"My mom was Air Force, Jack's going into the Force, why shouldn't I? You don't have to be a pilot, or anything. I'm pre-med, remember?"

"So what do you want to do?"

"I'd like to be a doctor, maybe someday my mom's old post at NORAD. She was the CMO with Sam, Colonel Carter's project."

"The radar stuff?"

"Yeah, she's been working there for years. Pretty much since the project began. Her, Jack, and a couple other guys. The General Jack, I mean, not ours."

"Weird. But then, I don't know what I want to do, after, I mean. I'm not a math whiz like Willow, or anything. I just want to do something different."

"Well, you've got a few years, and Sam's pretty good at explaining, if you need it."

The two girls were still talking as Jack came up with a clipboard, and began strolling around the base of the sleek jet, making notes the whole way.

"I didn't know Jack was a pilot, he never said anything," Buffy commented.

"I don't like people asking me for rides," Jack called over. "Why should I let them know I have a plane?"

The two girls were still laughing when Jack finished his checks and opened the cockpit door. "Attention passengers, Citation tango-six-niner to Denver is now boarding," Jack said, standing at the top of the stairs. "You coming, Summers?"


	3. Act Two

Act Two

Buffy couldn't help but be surprised going to a class in an airplane. An airplane with a pilot her age, and a ridiculous name. "How long have you been flying?"

"Seems like my whole life," Jack replied.

"I've never been up in anything this small. Or this nice," Buffy replied.

"Sorry I can't offer you something to eat or drink," Jack said, smirking as a pocket of turbulence nearly put Buffy in his lap.

While she was trying to get back in her own seat, the radio squawked, "Citation tango-six-niner, what's your position?"

"Sparky! What are you doing here?" Jack called out as he flagged an airman in dress blues.

The silver-haired man turned, straightening instinctively, but the urge to salute was only betrayed by a twitch of his hand. "Waiting for you, si--, ah, cadet," he said.

"Good to see nothing ever changes," Jack replied. "Let me introduce one of Cassie's roommates, Cadet Summers. Summers, this is Sergeant Siler."

Buffy and Siler shook hands, and she wondered if she was just imagining the unspoken exchange the two men were having. "Neillson sure has a lot of friends in uniform," she observed.

"I served under his uncle," Siler responded. "Now, if you'll just follow me to the car?"

The ride to UC Boulder was as awkward as expected, and both cadets quickly bade the sergeant farewell when the time came.

"I didn't think they'd provide a driver for a couple of students," Buffy commented.

Jack didn't answer. He knew that most of this was due to his special status. He was also under orders to never reveal that information, not that those orders were necessary. The very idea of having anyone else know that he was just a copy didn't have any appeal, and too many people would want to use the information that he retained from the original Jack.

"You ok, Neillson?" Buffy asked.

"Just peachy," Jack replied.

The first lecture covered the basic history of the Air Force, the detachment, and the officers and enlisted men that they would be working with for the next four years. Buffy spent a good deal of it thinking through patrol routes and strategies, though both she and Jack stuck around for the "optional" conditioning afterwards.

The conditioning actually left Buffy more keyed up, like she needed to keep moving. Cassie had joined them for the session, though she and the other second years were in a different group. At the end, Colonel Rodgers, the detachment commander, had asked Jack to speak with him privately. That left Buffy and Cassie outside his office, waiting for their friend.

"I swear, Buffy, it's like you're got more energy now than before conditioning," her roommate complained as Buffy paced.

"Sometimes, I just need to keep moving," she replied, continuing her circuit across the room. "What do you think Colonel Rodgers wanted with Neillson?" With her slayer hearing, she caught fragments of the conversation, but Cassie knew her friend.

"He's Jack," the other girl said with a shrug. An answer that explained everything and nothing.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" the young man asked as his latest commander sat down.

"Take a seat, Colonel," Rodgers said, gesturing to the chair opposite his desk.

Jack stiffened as the title caught him off-guard. That had been the other Jack's rank, not his. Of course, the other Jack was also a general now. So why was the officer facing him offering a rank he technically hadn't earned?

"Sir, I'm just a cadet," he responded, not moving towards the chair.

"Come now, we both know that's not true," Rodgers replied. "You, Neillson, are the clone of one General Jack O'Neill. With two L's." A slight smile quirked the older man's lips with the last.

Jack continued to stand like a statue, an expressionless mask on his face.

"I had an interesting visit from a General Landry a while back," he continued, as if Jack's silence was expected. "He told me a lot about you, and Cadet Fraiser, of course. So you understand, this is not a formality on your way back into the Air Force. I expect you to follow 

orders like any cadet. You will not be seen to question the actions of your apparent senior officers. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Jack said, feeling oddly relieved.

"Now that that's taken care of, is there anything I can do for you?"

"How about a team?" Jack asked, pretty sure he already knew the answer.

"You would ask that," the Colonel replied, still amused. "And you also know I can't place a freshman cadet in a position of authority over older members of the corps without affecting morale. However, there is nothing I or any other member of this command can do to stop you from aiding your fellow cadets in learning what they need to know, providing you do not step outside of protocol."

"Thank you," Jack said, knowing it was the best he could get. Once again, his youth and experience were at odds with each other. He hesitated, then decided to ask another question. "Sir, I know it's not my place to ask, but what can you tell me about Summers?"

Outside the office, Buffy stopped pacing, moving to lean against a wall, trying to appear casual and bored while she listened more intently.

"Now that, Colonel, is an interesting question. Did you notice her physical evaluation scores?"

"Cadet Summers performed in nearly exact conformation with the requirements of each task presented her, without reliance on any allowances made for female members of the military," Jack said, frowning slightly.

Buffy barely stopped herself from gasping audibly outside. She didn't think she'd been that obvious.

"Yes," the Colonel replied. "The precise minimums, as if she were pacing herself. The young lady has no record of extracurricular activities beyond a short-lived stint as a cheerleader. She was expelled from two different schools as a troublemaker. Also, I received a rather lengthy letter from her last principal detailing his opinion that Cadet Summers is not only a juvenile delinquent but a danger to those around her.

"On the other hand, despite a disrespect of authority figures, she shows a natural sense of leadership and a willingness to listen to the input of those around her. The recruiter noticed that she answered certain questions more like the answers of someone with prior military experience than a raw recruit, although her family does not appear to have any ties to the armed forces. Unfortunately, Sunnydale High School was destroyed by a gas explosion at last year's graduation ceremony, and the principal was one of the casualties, as well as many of the school records. Suspicion was actually placed on Summers and her friends before the explosion was finally ruled accidental."

Jack waited a few moments to see if the other Colonel would offer any more information. Everything so far could have been dug up from public records, which was probably why Rodgers offered it. The fact that the commander knew the information that well meant there had been some debate over Summers' suitability for the program. "Understood," he finally said.

A wry smile crossed the older man's face. "If you're thinking about tapping her, you might want to see that she doesn't wash out. Girl's smart as a whip, but insubordinate. Not unlike another cadet I could name," he said.

Jack chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. The man was entirely too shrewd to be stuck on the back lines. "I'll take that under advisement, sir."

"If that's all, Colonel?"

Jack nodded assent.

"Then you're dismissed."

Buffy stood up straighter from her position against the wall, her gaze fixed on the office door as it opened.

"At ease," the Colonel said before they even finished their salutes, and smiled. "Good work today." With that, Rodgers retreated back into his office, and the trio headed back out towards the parking lot and Cassie's SUV.

As they walked, Cassie shot a questioning look at Jack, who shrugged.

"What was that about?" Buffy asked.

Jack gave a quick glance at Cassie before he said, "I can't tell you."

Realization dawned on the red-head's face, but Buffy was still in the dark.

"Can't, or won't?" she prodded.

An amused grin crossed the young clone's face. "Sorry, Summers, it's classified."

End Act Two


	4. Act Three

Back aboard Dolly, Buffy was trying to figure out how to approach what she'd overheard. Jack had been completely silent on the matter, after his cryptic statement.

"How can you be in on something classified, Neillson? You haven't even been cleared yet. Colonel Rodgers said that happens when you receive your commission during orientation," Buffy said.

Jack glanced over at her, then returned to watching out the front windshield. "Just drop it, already. I can't tell you."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Can't."

"I don't believe you."

"Why don't you tell me about your exploits in high school, instead? I hear something about the school exploding," Jack retorted.

"It was a gas leak," Buffy replied, quickly.

"That sounded rehearsed, Summers."

"Everyone asks about it," she replied, shrugging a little. "Of course it sounds rehearsed. It's also what was in the paper. Right next to the obits."

Bullshit, Jack thought, something about the way she replied making him think maybe the police had been right in suspecting her. But arson didn't seem like her style, either. As graduation pranks went, it was a little overdone.

"You could tell me something about yourself, for a change," Buffy continued.

"Fine, you win."

Silence filled the cabin for a while, until Buffy finally decided to fill it. "Why don't you talk about your past, Jack?"

"Me? I sprang fully formed from the head of Zeus."

"You're not a god," Buffy said, with a roll of her eyes, fighting chuckling. It was an amusing joke.

"No, if I were a god, I'd be smarter."

Dammit, Cass, I don't know how I'm going to keep doing this," Jack said, leaning against the door to his room. He'd asked her over to get away from the possibility of snooping roommates since he had a single. "Summers already thinks there's something off with me, and she asked 

about me not talking about the past. At least you can talk about your childhood."

"Yeah, we have such wonderfully primitive agrarian societies in Toronto," the transplanted alien replied, rolling her eyes. "My cover's worse than yours, considering I wasn't born on this planet."

"But you're not decades older than you look, either."

"So what did you tell her?"

"That I was like Athena."

Cassie burst out in laughter at that, making the mythological connection quickly. The Goa'uld's love of posing as gods made it so both of them had more than a passing knowledge of the various pantheons, and who was a snake or not.

"Close enough, though it was Loki's head," she said, before collapsing into another giggle-fit.

"I'd like to see the inside of that guy's brains, up close," Jack growled.

Another fit of laughter took Cassie as she looked at his face. Gasping, she finally spoke again, between chortles. "You should see how serious you look."

"Very funny."

"You've got that 'you can court-martial me later' face."

While Jack and Cassie were talking, Buffy was out patrolling, talking on the phone with her friends from Sunnydale.

"Hey, Willow."

"Buffy! Hey! How's life in uniform? In the big blue?"

"Good, so far. How's MIT?"

"I wish you hadn't asked. I mean, the classes are great and all, but I'm like one of three girls in my classes who know anything. I don't know how the others got in."

"Nerd heaven?"

"Not so much," Willow replied, glumly. "If there's a decent population, I'm missing it, because I'm nerd-free."

"And Oz?"

"We're doing the long-distance thing while he tours with the Dingoes. It's great, except…I miss the smoochies."

"I get ya," Buffy replied. "There's actually only two other cadets at Colorado Springs, Niellson's a freshman like me, and that sophomore I'm rooming with, Fraiser. They're both pretty cool."

"Cool, like I like them ok, cool, or maybe future Scooby cool?"

"I don't know, Will. I suppose future Scooby cool, but I don't like some of the questions Jack asks. I think the Colonel mentioned my school record to him."

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. I couldn't hear the whole conversation. Rodgers asked Neillson to his office after conditioning, and they talked for a bit. When I asked, he said it was classified."

"Could be a problem. Want me to, you know, take a peek?"

"Cass, my room-mate, I think she knew, too. At least, she didn't ask any questions."

"What do you think it is? Somehow I doubt there're demons in uniform."

"We're reserves, for starters," Buffy corrected. "It's not really in uniform. We don't do anything unless activated, except for required training in addition to whatever work is for real."

"So, you gonna slay by night and be Army Buffy by day?"

"Pilot Buffy, please."

"You gonna fly?"

"Jack already offered to teach me small air on his plane."

"Look at you, barely a week and you've already started speaking tech."

"What about you?"

"Um, I kinda made a mistake in one of my programming classes. I fixed it, too, though."

"What did you do? No more internet demons, right?"

"I just uploaded the patches to the school mainframe. It's not like I was hurting anyone," Willow explained, the pout almost audible.

Some rustling caught Buffy's attention before she could continue berating her best friend. "Uh, Will, can you excuse me for half a mo?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"No big, just some vamps wanting to get up close with Mr. Pointy. I'll call you back later," Buffy said, hanging up and pocketing the phone so that she could bring out the previously mentioned stake.

"So, where were you?" Cassie asked, when Buffy returned.

"The library," Buffy answered, evasively.

"With no books?"

"I was gathering intel."

"On what? How Jack isn't a god?" Cassie said, snickering.

"Ok, so I did check up on Zeus, and all that. Must have been one hell of a headache,"

"I don't think a god would really care about that," Cassie replied. He probably just took a nap in his sarcophagus, she thought.

"You have a good date?" Buffy asked, slyly changing the subject.

"You think…me? And Jack?"

"You two share those secrets you won't ever mention."

Cassie sighed. That was the one problem with the kind of intelligent people the Air Force looked for as officers, they picked up anomalies quickly when the cover stories were full of holes. "I can't tell you any more than Jack could," she finally said.

"Don't tell me, it has to do with that whole space gun thingie that Colonel whatever-her-name-was isn't involved it."

"It's Deep Space Radar Telemetry," Cassie corrected, automatically. "As far as I know, the US doesn't have any space guns." The Chair in Antarctica was under that weird committee, so that wasn't even a lie, though Jack shouldn't have mentioned it around her. SG-1 tended not to really toe the line talking about alien tech around her, since they assumed she'd be working with them someday.

"But I'm not cleared to know whether there really are aliens or anything, right?" Buffy asked, her hazel eyes glinting with amusement.

"I'm not cleared for the stuff Sam and Daniel and everyone are doing, either," Cassie replied.

"Another name, let me write that down."

"The other two are Cameron and Murray, on Sam's team," Cassie said, shaking her head. "General Landry is in charge of the project, and Dr. 

Lam is CMO. Uncle Jack, um, the General Jack, is sometimes around, but he got promoted to D.C. Anything else you want to know?"

Buffy laughed. "You think I should stop asking questions, too?"

"I think that you keep asking questions nobody can give you the answer to."

"I do that a lot," Buffy admitted. "Someone once told me that there aren't any answers, only unasked questions."

"Sounds like a fortune cookie."

Buffy threw a pillow at Cassie, and then ducked into her own bedroom. "If you won't answer my questions, and you won't take me seriously, I might as well let you just kill me in my sleep," she said, before closing her door.

"Don't go into the light!" Cassie called after her, shutting her own door.

End Act Three


	5. Act Four

"I hate my teachers," Buffy said as she collapsed with a tray full of food into a chair next to Jack. "Why didn't anybody tell me that college took all the worst parts of high school and improved them?"

"On the good side, we're flying again tomorrow," Jack replied. "Besides, it's not that bad. You just have to remember to do exactly what they ask and forget to think. Simple."

"That isn't simple. Running laps is simple."

"Which is how we'll be spending the time between our flight plans, as I understand it," Cassie said. "Hey, Jack, do you think we can go to the mountain and use the range? I'm still working on my proficiencies."

"Sure, I'll give you some pointers. Maybe Sunday?"

"The mountain?" Buffy asked.

"Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, Summers," Jack said, with a slight smirk, and he reached over and stole the roll from her plate. "Didn't you hear that your ID permits you access to the base for certain activities?"

"So, what, you can drive up and ask to play with their guns?" Buffy asked, frowning. She was reminded of her one time using a rocket launcher, and the results.

"Well, you have to clear it with the range master, and we can't go anywhere they're doing exercises or the like, but yeah. Maybe we'll see Danny or the others."

"Like Sam?" Cassie teased.

Buffy was a little surprised at the power behind the glare Jack shot at Cassie for that remark. "Why the death glare, Neillson?" she asked.

"Jack's had a crush since, well, before I met him," Cassie said, smirking.

"Have not!" Jack protested. "I don't even like scientists."

"Colonel Carter's a scientist?" Buffy asked, a little surprised. The self-assured woman she'd met made her think of her own mother in some ways, but she seemed more like a career soldier than a brain.

"How did you meet Carter?" Jack asked, surprised.

"She showed up while Mom and I were unpacking my stuff."

"Huh," he said thoughtfully. "Anyone else I should know about?"

"Says the guy who was asking me about my singed high school diploma," Buffy retorted.

"What?" Cassie asked. "This I haven't heard."

"Apparently someone told Jack here about my school records, or rather their problematic disappearance. See, Sunnydale High exploded during Graduation, which, as any sane high school senior could tell you, was just icing on the cake."

"Your school exploded? Who did it?"

"Gas leak, or so they say," Jack said, with a tone that clearly stated his incredulity.

"A lot of people died in that explosion," Buffy said, not looking at her friends. "It's not something anyone likes to think about, losing half the graduating class on the final day. I'm glad I had a way to get out of town for a while, even if it means leaving Mom alone."

"You worry about your mom?" Jack asked, surprised.

Cassie punched her friend in the shoulder. "I always worried about Mom when she was late or had to stay on base," she said softly. "Can you really say I was wrong?"

"'M sorry, kiddo," Jack said, almost too softly for Buffy to hear.

"So, either of you any good with the math?" Buffy said, changing the subject. She didn't think any of them really needed to go into losing family stories, or why Sunnydale wasn't safe.

"Bad topic, Summers. Better off with hockey," Jack said.

"I didn't think the season had begun?"

"That doesn't mean there isn't something to talk about."

Getting on base was even easier than Jack and Cassie had made it seem. The airman at the security checkpoint seemed to know Cassie on sight, and reacted with a knowing smile at Jack's introductions. The range was empty, except for a few folks practicing with small arms, and one of the soldiers took a few minutes to make sure they were settled in.

"You ever fired a gun before?" Jack asked.

"A gun, no," Buffy said, shrugging. "I've done archery, fired crossbows, things like that, but nothing that wasn't totally medieval."

"Why the old school toys?"

"Hands on history, Jack."

"Any good at it?"

Buffy shrugged. She didn't really want to go into just how well she was able to shoot. Giles had been adamant that no one find out about her abilities, even to coaching her just how much to hold back in the physical evaluations. She still hadn't call him to tell about the Colonel's suspicions and get advice.

"Well, it really isn't that different from shooting a bow, same aiming, just a gun has significantly more recoil," Jack said, as he looked over the berretta he was checking out, and grabbed a box of ammo. "How about we start with your basic 9mm sidearm?"

"Sure," Buffy said, hesitantly. Cassie checked out a second gun, taking a position next to them, rolling the earplugs in her hand to achieve pliability.

"Ok, show me your stance," Jack said, watching Buffy closely. She stood, one foot forward, and raised the gun with her arm straight out.

"Good, but you're going to want to try a two-handed grip to start. More control," Jack corrected, standing behind her and placing his hands on hers. Buffy couldn't help but be aware of their proximity, and tried not to blush. The last time she'd done something like this had been with Angel, and she didn't want to think about that.

"Ok," Jack continued, his breath a whisper on her skin as he spoke. "Now, take a deep breath, and as you let it out, squeeze gently on the trigger."

With a strange pop distorted by the earplugs, the gun went off, and a small hole appeared in the paper target in front of them. "Seven, not bad," Jack said, letting go and stepping back. "Now finish out the clip on your own, there's eight more in it."

Buffy was disappointed with her aim, especially as she loaded and then emptied the second clip. Try as she might, she couldn't get her usual accuracy. Giles had drilled her until it was second nature to put an arrow or bolt through the heart of her target every time, but she was only in the outer rings of the chest zone with the handgun. She couldn't get a head shot, either.

Jack had stepped away, and was talking against the wall with Cassie when both looked up with surprise at someone coming into the area. "Hey, Daniel, who's your friend?" Jack called out, without thinking.

Both men, dressed casually, one wearing an Air Force t-shirt, turned to look at the young man, and the one on the right blinked. "Jack?" Daniel asked. "Is that really you?"

Buffy lowered the gun, flipping the safety on and putting it to one side, turning to see who had come.

"Yes, Daniel, it really is me," Jack said, rolling his eyes.

"It is," Cassie added. "I ought to know, since he practically lives in our dorm room."

"Cassie, good to see you," Dr. Daniel Jackson said, giving the redheaded girl a quick hug.

"And, I repeat, who's your friend?"

"Uh, right, Jack, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell, this is Jack Neillson, Cassandra Fraiser, and…" with that, Daniel turned and saw Buffy clearly for the first time. "Anne?" he said, shock registering on his face.

"It's Buffy," she said, embarrassed. "Frank didn't think it was the right kind of name for a waitress. Anne's my middle name. Buffy Anne Summers. It's good to see you again."

Everyone stood, various expressions of surprise on their faces, when Mitchell gave a broad grin. "This is so cool!"

The End


End file.
